Huntington Beach Report

Huntington Beach CITY ADMINISTRATOR’S WEEKLY REPORT-Aug 31, 2010

CITY TREASURER-

Quick Tip of the Week – Can Do! –Begin your interactions with customers positively! Make it a habit to always tell your customer what you CAN do for them first. Don’t start with what you can’t do.

COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT – Last Chance to View Rock Paper Salt-The solo art exhibit features the work of Christine Nguyen. Titled Rock Paper Salt it closes September 4. Step into a visually stunning world of color and light that the artist has created before it closes. Large scale photographs, cyanotypes, specially commissioned installation pieces and drawings from the different elements of this exhibit are certain to intrigue and delight you. Admission is free. For opening hours call 714. 374-1650 or visit www.huntingtonbeachartcenter.org

New Creative Art for Toddlers class at the HB Art Center – In this class little artists will explore and make art while learning and experiencing shapes, colors, lines, textures and anything their imaginations can envision. This is a parent- participation class to be held on Saturday, 10:15-11:00 am and 11:15 am-12 noon. The first class is September 25. Registration has already begun. You can register at the Huntington Beach Art Center or online at www.hbsands.org For more information call 714.374.1650

Sixth Annual Plein Air Festival – The Huntington Beach Art Center is proud to present the Sixth Annual Plein Air Painting Festival. Artists began painting scenic Huntington Beach on August 22 and will continue throughout the month of September. This year the festival will include two free painting workshops at Pier Plaza on Sunday, September 12 with artists Diana LoSchiavo and Pamela Panattoni. A special Painting in the Streets event will feature festival artists painting in downtown Huntington Beach on Main Street and The Strand on September 11 from 10:00 am-4:00 pm. The Huntington Beach Art Center Foundation invites you to enjoy a fine dining experience, Dining En Plein Air, in the Art Center galleries on September 23, from 6:30-9:30 pm. The festival culminates with an exhibition of work created during the festival that will be on display from September 25-October 2. An opening reception will be held on September 24, 6:00-9:00 pm. For full festival details call 714.374.1650

Huntington Beach Senior Services – Cardiofit for Seniors – Come join the new exercise class for seniors! Marianne Grossman will lead this exercise class geared towards older adults every Tuesday and Friday morning, 9:00 – 9:45 a.m. from September 14 to November 19. The class fee is $45.00. Walk-in registration for this great new class is being accepted now at the Michael E. Rodgers Seniors Center, 1706 Orange Avenue, Huntington Beach. For more information call 714-536-9387. Class Number 4816.401

Sunset Vista – Reservations for Sunset Vista began August 1 and the campground is selling out fast. Opening day is Friday, October 1. Weekends through November are sold out, as well as the week of Thanksgiving. New Year’s, and Martin Luther King Day in January 2011 are full.

Reservations for the spring of 2011 will begin December 1. The weekdays usually run about 50% capacity and can be a great time to relax and camp at the beach. Sunset Vista Campground is located within the Huntington City Beach parking lot, south of the pier. The facility is extremely popular with the RV community, due to its priceless views and close proximity to the downtown area. It is recommended that patrons check the city’s website at www.huntingtonbeachca.gov (under “Most Requested Pages”) as staff is constantly making and updating reservations.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT – SCVNGR Promotion in Surf City USA®-To celebrate the launch of SCVNGR (www.SurfCityUSA.com/SCVNGR) in Huntington Beach, the Huntington Beach Marketing & Visitors Bureau is awarding Surf City USA® gift bags to the first 50 adventurous players who qualify for this game! It is the new interactive way to experience Surf City USA via your mobile phone. Playing is simple: Go places. Do challenges. Earn points! SCVNGR is played via a free iPhone/Android app. Two themed treks, the “Best of Huntington Beach Trek” and the “Surfin’ Surf City USA® Trek,” allow visitors to complete challenges throughout the City to earn points and the Surf City USA badge. For a limited time, the first 50 players to complete all 14 challenges in one of the two treks will win a Surf City USA nylon beach tote stuffed with a limited-edition Rip Curl t-shirt and information about Huntington Beach. SCVNGR is funded by Google Ventures and Highland Capital Partners. Visit www.scvngr.com to learn more or call 800-729-6232.

LIBRARY SERVICES DEPARTMENT- 2010 Summer Reading Program Wrap-Up

The Huntington Beach Library held three very successful Summer Reading Programs this year. The general theme was “water” and the children’s library really made a splash this summer with their fun program, “Make a Splash: Read!” An amazing 4,964 children signed up this year. More than 840 people attended the final two concerts on August 13 featuring Dave Kinnoin. Once again, the show was held in Central Park on the bandstand stage, which provided more space and shade to the excited crowd.            Huntington Beach teen patrons, aged 12-18, made some real waves with their program: “Make Waves at Your Library.” A record 445 teens signed up for the program and completed 1,268 hours of reading! Components of the program included a “Bingo Card”, a “Pirate Pizza Party”, and prizes like an annual beach pass. The Adult program “Water your Mind: Read”, registered 711 participants who completed 3,100 entries for the prize basket drawings – which means they read that many books! An impressive 35 book reviews were submitted. No doubt, as the summer winds down, the library’s readers will continue to excel into the fall!

PLANNING & BUILDING DEPARTMENT-Poseidon Update-The final Subsequent Environmental Impact Report (FSEIR) for the Poseidon Desalination facility has been posted to the Planning and Building Department website at http://www.huntingtonbeachca.gov/Government/Departments/Planning/major/poseidon.cfm. The FSEIR contains changes to the Draft SEIR as well as responses to comments. The City Council is slated to consider certifying the FSEIR as adequate and complete at the September 7, 2010, meeting. For additional information, contact Ricky Ramos, Senior Planner, at (714) 536-5271.

PUBLIC WORKS – Slater Avenue Rehabilitation Project-The Slater Avenue Street Rehabilitation Project which began on August 3, 2010, is nearing completion. The project is located on Slater Avenue between Beach Boulevard and Newland Street. Improvements include replacement of existing pavement; limited concrete work to replace curb and gutter, sidewalk, curb access ramps, and cross gutters, installation of tree wells, and landscaping. Staff has been coordinating this work with Lake View Elementary School staff in order to minimize impacts on the school during construction. In addition, the contractor has been working six days a week to complete the project before the first day of school. Although the project will be substantially completed by September 8, the final paving of the street surface will remain and is scheduled for Saturday, September 11 to minimize major construction during school hours. Student safety is top priority and staff will continue working with the contractor to assure that the construction zone is safe and free of any obstructions.